Jennifer Herrmann

I assist clients facing difficult legal issues in the areas of criminal defense, education, and employment law.

I joined Zalkind as an associate in 2021, following a clerkship with the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts. I use my knowledge and experience to get the best possible outcome for my clients, whether that's negotiating with an employer, appearing in court, or guiding a student through a school proceeding. While attending the University of Chicago Law School, I worked on behalf of youth, immigrants, and families needing legal services, including with the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau and the Children’s Law Center of Massachusetts. I also extensively researched special education, school discipline, and students’ rights while working as a research assistant for the Restatement of Children and the Law. Those experiences inform my practice now: I am committed to thoughtful lawyering, mindful that clients often come to us when their world is upended, and they need answers and advocacy. I am a Lecturer at the Boston University School of Law and maintain a pro bono immigration practice as a volunteer attorney for Kids in Need of Defense (KIND).

Prior to law school, I worked as an in-house video producer for a national nonprofit based in Madison, Wisconsin, and taught English and journalism through the Fulbright program in Ukraine.

• Successfully negotiated settlement agreements for victims of race, gender, disability, and age discrimination, retaliation, and wage theft.
• Won a Motion for a Required Finding of Not Guilty in a criminal trial.
• Defeated employers' motions for summary judgement, preserving my clients' claims and damages for trial.
• Represented individuals before the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, District Court, Superior Court, and Court of Appeals.
• Worked with a team of attorneys to draft a First Circuit amicus brief regarding anti-retaliation law.
• Worked with student victims of sexual assault, sexual harassment, and stalking in Title IX and related proceedings, resulting in findings of responsibility.
• Represented students in grade appeal and disciplinary proceedings, resulting in favorable outcomes and their ability to continue their education.

• Member, Massachusetts Employments Lawyers' Association
• Member, Massachusetts Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
• Member, Boston Bar Association
• Member, Women’s Bar Association of Massachusetts

I became a lawyer because I am passionate about ensuring that every person who encounters the legal system has the benefit of an advocate who is both tenacious and compassionate. My goal is to support just practices in our legal system through skilled, creative representation for clients facing difficult situations.